Lemon tree named ‘7ELS1’

ABSTRACT

‘7ELS1’ is a new and distinct lemon tree notable for its high quality fruit with very few or no seeds.

Genus and species: Citrus limon.

Variety denomination: ‘7ELS1’.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The new lemon variety ‘7ELS1’ originated as an induced mutation of ‘Eureka’ lemon (not patented). Varying degrees of Gamma irradiation from a Gammacell 200 (60C) source was applied to bud sticks of ‘Eureka’ in 1996 at St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia. The 1200 treated bud sticks were budded onto ‘Carrizo’ rootstock during June 1996, and the 1034 trees that survived were field planted at Emerald, Queensland, Australia during Autumn of 1997. As trees commenced fruiting, fruit from different branches on each tree were cut and inspected for seed numbers. This procedure was carried out during July of 1998, 1999 and 2000. The selection now known as ‘7ELS1’ was identified as showing consistently lower seed numbers than the parent variety with no apparent reduction in fruit size. ‘7ELS1’ also showed good fruit quality and good internal color in all three seasons. Budwood was taken from the original selection and budded to ‘Benton’ rootstock to establish mother trees. A further generation of trees was established by taking budwood from these mother trees and establishing granddaughter trees (again budded to ‘Benton’ rootstock), which were planted in 2003. All generations have consistently shown few or no seeds in each season.

‘7ELS1’ is a new and distinct lemon tree notable for its fruit, which produces consistently low numbers of seeds. Table 1 shows a comparison of ‘7ELS1’ lemon to ‘Eureka’ and other similar (unpatented) varieties.

TABLE 1 Comparison of ‘7ELS1’to Known Varieties Plant Part ‘7ELS1’ ‘7ELS3’ ‘3ELSO’ Tree: density of Absent or Absent or Absent or spines sparse sparse sparse Tree: length of Very Very short Short spines short Leaf blade: Medium Medium Medium length Leaf blade: Straight Straight or Straight shape in cross or weakly weakly or weakly section concave concave concave Leaf blade: Absent or Absent or Absent or twisting weak weak weak Leaf blade: Absent or Intermediate Absent or undulation of weak weak margin Leaf blade: Absent Absent Absent emargination at tip Style: length Short to Medium to Medium medium long Fruit: ratio Medium Large Medium length/diameter Fruit: position At middle At middle At middle of broadest part Fruit: general Strongly Strongly Slightly shape of rounded rounded rounded proximal part Fruit rind: Thin to Thin Thin to thickness medium medium Fruit: number of seeds Absent or Few to Varies, very few medium absent or very few to few Plant Part ‘Code 3X97’ ‘Code 7B97’ ‘Eureka’ Tree: density of Intermediate Absent or Absent or spines sparse sparse Tree: length of Short Very Short spines short Leaf blade: Medium Medium Medium length to long Leaf blade: Intermediate Straight Straight shape in cross or weakly or weakly section concave concave Leaf blade: Intermediate Absent or Absent or twisting weak weak Leaf blade: Absent or Absent or Absent or undulation of weak weak weak margin Leaf blade: Present Absent Absent emargination at tip Style: length Short to Medium Medium medium Fruit: ratio Medium Medium Medium length/diameter Fruit: position Towards At middle At middle of broadest part distal end Fruit: general Strongly Strongly Strongly shape of rounded rounded rounded proximal part Fruit rind: Thin to Thin to Medium thickness medium medium Fruit: number of seeds Absent or Varies, Many very few absent or very few to few

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 shows whole and sectioned fruit of ‘7ELS1’ lemon.

Because lighting conditions can affect the colors shown in photographic illustrations, color characteristics of this new variety should be determined with reference to the observations described herein, rather than from the illustrations alone.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations of trees and fruit of ‘7ELS1’, budded to ‘Benton’ rootstock (not patented) and planted in 2003. Observations were recorded and photographs taken during the 2006 and 2011 growing seasons at Munduberra, Queensland, Australia. It should be understood that the characteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon cultural practices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location and season. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of individual plants of the new variety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average. Colors are described with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (5^(th) Ed., 2007).

-   Tree:     -   -   Vigor.—Vigorous.         -   Density of canopy.—Dense.         -   Height.—3 m.         -   Spread.—3 m.         -   Trunk diameter (at 30 cm above graft).—140 mm.         -   Bark texture.—Smooth.         -   Bark color.—Brown 163D, N187A.         -   Lenticel size.—1 mm.         -   Lenticel color.—Brown N187A.         -   Lenticel quantity.—Many.         -   Tendency toward alternate bearing.—None.         -   Winter hardiness.—Not tolerant to cold; prolonged             temperatures below zero will damage shoots and fruit (same             as ‘Eureka’).         -   Chilling requirement.—None (same as ‘Eureka’).         -   Drought tolerance.—Somewhat tolerant (same as ‘Eureka’). -   Branch (fruiting branch located about 1 m above graft union):     -   -   Length.—80 cm.         -   Diameter.—60 mm.         -   Crotch angle.—30°.         -   Bark color.—Greyed-orange 163D; brown N187A.         -   Bark texture.—Smooth.         -   Density of spines.—Absent or sparse.         -   Length of spines.—Very short, 5 mm.         -   Color of current year shoot.—Green 140A. -   Young leaf:     -   -   Presence of anthocyanin coloration.—Present.         -   Intensity of anthocyanin coloration.—Weak. -   Leaf blade:     -   -   Length.—Medium, 104 mm.         -   Width.—Medium, 56 mm.         -   Ratio length/width.—Medium, 1.85.         -   Shape in cross section.—Straight or weakly concave.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.         -   Leaf veins.—Pinnate arrangement, green 143A, 143B.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base shape.—Cuneate.         -   Emargination at tip.—Absent.         -   Twisting.—Absent or weak.         -   Color of upper surface.—Green 143B.         -   Color of lower surface.—Green 145.         -   Undulation of margin.—Absent or weak.         -   Incisions of margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture.—Smooth. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—12 mm.         -   Diameter.—3 mm.         -   Color.—Green N144D.         -   Presence of wings.—Absent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Bud shape.—Oval.         -   Bud length.—2.2 mm.         -   Bud diameter.—1 mm.         -   Bud color.—Green 144.         -   Presence of anthocyanin coloration.—Present.         -   Intensity of anthocyanin coloration.—Medium. -   Flower:     -   -   Quantity of flowers per cluster.—4 to 7.         -   Blossom diameter.—23 mm.         -   Blossom depth.—18 mm.         -   Pollen present.—No.         -   Pollinator.—None required — ‘7ELS1’ is parthenocarpic.         -   Sepal length.—4.5 mm.         -   Sepal width.—4.5 mm.         -   Sepal color—upper surface.—Yellow 2B.         -   Sepal color—lower surface.—Yellow 3B.         -   Quantity of petals per flower.—5.         -   Petal shape.—Elongated arch.         -   Petal margin.—Smooth.         -   Petal length.—17 mm.         -   Petal width.—5.1 mm.         -   Petal color—upper surface.—Cream NN155D.         -   Petal color—lower surface.—Cream NN155D, purple 84D.         -   Pedicel length.—4.75 mm.         -   Pedicel diameter.—1.8 mm.         -   Pedicel color.—Green 151C.         -   Pistil quantity per flower.—1.         -   Pistil length.—12.4 mm.         -   Length of stamens.—Medium.         -   Basal union of stamens.—Present.         -   Anther quantity per flower.—1.         -   Anther length.—2.7 mm.         -   Stigma quantity per flower.—1.         -   Stigma length.—2 mm.         -   Style quantity per flower.—1.         -   Style length.—6.4 mm.         -   Style color.—Yellow 1B.         -   Ovary quantity per flower.—1.         -   Ovary length.—4.7 mm.         -   Ovary diameter.—2.7 mm.         -   Ovary color.—Green 144A.         -   Diameter of calyx.—Medium, about 6.8 mm to 7.3 mm.         -   Fragrance.—Sweet with a background cinnamon note.         -   Date of first bloom.—Late August.         -   Date of full bloom.—Early September.         -   Date of first fruitlet fall.—November. -   Fruit:     -   -   Clustering of fruits.—Present.         -   Axial diameter.—80 mm.         -   Apical diameter.—60 mm.         -   Weight.—160 g.         -   Position of broadest part.—At middle.         -   General shape in profile.—Oval.         -   General shape of proximal part.—Strongly rounded.         -   Presence of neck.—Present.         -   Length of neck (necked varieties only).—Very short, 0 to             about 8 mm.         -   General shape of distal part.—Slightly rounded.         -   Presence of nipple.—Present.         -   Prominence of nipple.—Weak to medium.         -   Presence of radial grooves at distal end.—Present.         -   Expression of radial grooves at distal end.—Very weak.         -   Colour of variegation.—Absent. -   Fruit surface:     -   -   Color.—Green 140B.         -   Glossiness.—Weak.         -   Rind texture.—Smooth.         -   Size of oil glands.—1 mm.         -   Quantity of oil glands.—40 per cm². -   Fruit rind:     -   -   Thickness.—Thin to medium, 4.3 mm.         -   Ease of peeling.—Difficult.         -   Albedo thickness.—4 mm.         -   Albedo color.—Yellow 2C. -   Fruit flesh:     -   -   Main colour of flesh.—Yellow 2C.         -   Quantity of segments per fruit.—8.         -   Presence of rudimentary segments.—Absent or weak.         -   Toughness of segment membrane.—Moderate.         -   Juice sac length.—8 mm.         -   Juice sac shape.—Elongated.         -   Juice sac length to width ratio.—8:1.5.         -   Juice sac color.—Yellow 2C.         -   Juice soluble solids (° Brix).—7.3. -   Seeds (open pollination):     -   -   Number of seeds.—Absent or very few. -   Stem:     -   -   Length.—2 cm.         -   Diameter.—4 mm.         -   Color.—Green 144. -   Harvest:     -   -   Relative harvest maturity.—Early.         -   Harvest window.—January-December (in region tested). -   Yield: 50 to 100 tons per hectare. -   Market use: Fresh. -   Shipping characteristics: Similar to other known lemon varieties. -   Storage characteristics: Sensitive to storage below −1 degree C. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of lemon tree, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 